Locking device for foldable measures



Nov. 19, 1935. SAUER 2,021,202

LOCKING DEVICE FOR FOLDABLE MEASURES Fiied Jan. 15, 1955 INVJENTOR ifenry Sauer A52 Mam ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 19, 1935 NITED STATES LOCKING DEVICE FOR FOLDABLE MEASURES Henry Sauer, New York, N. Y.

Application January 15, 1935, Serial No. 1,868

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in folding measures or scales, particularly in the means uniting the adjoining ends of the various units or sections of such instruments, and it is the principal object of my invention to provide novel and improved locks for two adjoining units locking the same at a suitable or desired angle to one another.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a lock for the adjoining units of a foldable measure composed of two associate members one provided with grooves and the other with a raised portion or ridge to engage said grooves to either allow the usual folding of the single units or sections of the instrument parallel to one another or to lock the units at a desired angle to one another to facilitate the work of carpenters or other mechanics by dispensing with the use of a separate means to measure certain angles of the work at hand.

A further object of my invention is the provi= sion of a foldable'measure equipped with locking members of a comparatively simple and therefore inexpensive construction, yet durable and highly efiicient in use.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a lock for locking the single units or sections of a foldable measure or scale at a desired angle to one another which can be readily attached to any of the rules at present in use without material or extensive changes in their 1 construction.

These and other objects and advantages .of my invention will become more fully known as the description thereof proceeds and will then be specifically defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a sectional folding measure or scale equipped with a lock constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of one section or unit of a scale equipped with a locking member to lock two adjoining sections of the scale at an angle to one another as for instance shown in Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the associate locking member for the one illustrated in Figure 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of a ruler unit equipped with a modified form of look-- ing member with which the associate locking member Figure 4 may also be used.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View of a measure I end 20 of measure unit or section l2.

equipped with another modified form of locking member.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 'll of Figure 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of one looking member for the unit, Figure 6, and 5 Fig. 9 is a detail view of the locking member associated with the member, Figure 8.

As illustrated, a foldable measure or scale It! composed of any number of units or sections llfoldably connected in the usual, well known man- 10 ner has some or any number of adjoining units as for instance [2, l3 connected by the locking member I4 attached to units l2, and its associate member l5 attached to unit It.

Member M is attached in the usual manner to unit l2 by its bent engaging side flanges pressed against the side edges of the reduced part l6 of the unit l2 and pivotally secured thereto by means of a pin I! also passing through member I5 and into the reduced ends of the adjoining units.

The outer face of locking member H! has fonned therein a depression or groove l8 extending in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the member and. a depression or groove I9 intersecting groove l8 at an angle thereto.

The associate locking member co-operating with member l4 and designated I5 is secured in a similar manner as member M to the reduced Locking member i5 has a raised portion 2! formed in its middle extending in the direction of its longitudinal axis and of a size to fit grooves I8 and I9 in member M.

It will be clear that upon the uniting of units I2 and I3 by their pivot pin H, the raised portion 2! will engage normally the longitudinal groove I8 of unit l2 and if turned about the pivot pin will engagein groove 89 of member l4 and will lock both units l2 and 13 at an angle to one another determined by the slant of groove l 9.

In Figure 5, I have shown a modified form of locking member designated 22 and secured in the above described manner to its measure unit 23 having a reduced end 24 and a pivot pin 25.

In this form of my invention the locking member '22 has a longitudinally extending groove 26 and a groove 21 intersecting said groove at an angle of 90.

It will be clear that if locking member I5 is used with member 22 its raised portion 2| will engage the groove 27 of member 22 and lock the measure units at an angle of 90 to one another.

The use and operation of my device will be readily understood from the foregoing descrip- 55 tion by having simultaneous reference to the drawing without further explanation.

It will be further understood that I have de- 'a predetermined angle to one another oompris- 7 ing a member attached to one of the sections and provided with a-longitudinally extending groove and a groove intersecting said longitudinal groove at an angle, an associate member attached to the adjoining section of the scale, and a ridge or raised portion of said associate member adapted to normally engage the longitudinal groove and upon displacement of the two sections relatively to one another to engage the intersecting groove to lock both sections at an angle to one another, the size of the angle to be determined by the angle of intersection between the grooves in one of said members.

2. A look for locking two pivotally connected adjoining sections of a foldable measure at a right angle to one another comprising a locking member attached to one of said sections and having a longitudinally extending groove and a groove intersecting said longitudinal groove at a right angle, an associate locking member attached to the other adjoining section of the measure, a raised portion formed with said associate member adapted to normally engage the longitudinal groove and upon turning of one section at a right angle to the other adjoining section to engage the groove intersecting said longitudinal groove at a right angle to lock the sections of the measure 20 HENRY SAUER. 

